The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to transduce communication signals at a radio device, such as a mobile station, operable in a radio communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an antenna assembly, and an associated method, by which a selected one of at least two antenna transducers is selectably connected to radio circuitry of the radio device. The antenna assembly includes a switch element which is compact, reliable, inexpensive and exhibits low-loss characteristics, all significant criteria in the construction of a mobile station, or other radio device.
Implementation, and widespread usage, of multi-user radio communication systems has been permitted as a result of advancements in communication technologies. Similar to other types of communication systems, a radio communication system permits the communication of data between a sending station and a receiving station, by way of a communication channel. In a radio communication system, the communication channel forms a radio channel, defined upon a radio link formed between the sending and receiving stations. The radio channel defined upon the radio link is characterized by selected frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. Regulatory bodies allocate portions of the electromagnetic spectrum for communications in various communication systems.
To convert the data which is to be communicated into a form to permit its communication upon a communication channel defined in a radio communication system, a sending station, forming a transmitter, modulates an information signal containing the data upon a carrier wave of a carrier frequency within the range of frequencies which characterizes, at least in part, the communication channel. Through the modulation process, a base bandlevel signal of which the information signal is formed is converted into a radio frequency signal of desired frequency characteristics.
A transmitter, operable to transmit radio frequency signals upon a radio channel, typically includes one or more up-mixing stages at which the base band information signal is up-converted in frequency to be of the selected radio frequency. The mixing stages include mixer circuits coupled to receive the information signal and an up-mixing signal with which the information signal is to be multiplied, or otherwise combined, to form an up-converted signal. When multiple mixing stages are utilized, an IF (intermediate frequency) signal is formed at a first, or first series of, mixer stages. A radio frequency signal is formed at the final mixing stage.
A receiver, formed of the receiving station, which receives a radio frequency communication signal transmitted thereto upon a radio communication channel must, analogously convert the radio frequency signal to a base band level. One or more down-conversion stages is utilized to down-convert the radio frequency signal to a base band level.
Both the transmitter and the receiver include, typically, an antenna transducer. The antenna transducer, when coupled to a transmitter to form a portion thereof, transduces the radio frequency signal generated at the transmitter out of electrical form and into electromagnetic form for transmission upon the radio channel. The antenna transducer, when coupled to a receiver to form a portion thereof, conversely, transduces radio frequency signals out of electromagnetic form and into electrical form, t hereafter to permit processing by the circuitry of the receiver of the received signals.
A radio transceiver, having both a transmitter and a receiver to permit two-way communications, sometimes utilizes an antenna transducer which is shared by both the receiver and transmitter portions of the transceiver. A filter duplexer is sometimes utilized if the radio transceiver is operable pursuant to a frequency division multiplexing scheme having separate transmit and receive pass bands.
Various different types of antenna transducer constructions are utilized to form portions of a radio device. A mobile station, exemplary of a radio device, sometimes includes a whip antenna, a PIFA (Planer Inverted F Antenna), or a patch antenna. Such antenna transducers are generally, in some manner, of dimensions related to wave lengths of communication signals which are to be transduced by the antenna transducer. Mobile stations operable in a cellular communication system, for instance, are generally operable at frequencies located in the upper hundreds of megahertz (e.g., 800 MHz) and in the gigahertz (e.g., 1.8 GHz) range. One quarter wave length and other fractionally wave length-related antenna lengths are commonly utilized.
Conventional whip antenna transducers oftentimes are constructed to be translatable, either to be positioned within a housing which houses radio circuitry of the radio device, or translated to extend beyond the housing of the radio device. And, patch antenna transducers, as well as PIFA antenna transducers, are sometimes positioned within the housing of the radio device.
Some mobile stations, as well as other radio devices, include more than one antenna transducer alternately connectable to the radio circuitry. For instance, efforts are sometimes made to include both a whip antenna transducer and a patch, or PIFA, antenna transducer at a mobile station. An appropriate switching mechanism, however, is required to switch between the antenna transducers. Existing mechanisms are generally complex, large, expensive, and exhibit loss, all undesirable characteristics.
If an improved manner could be provided by which to better switchably connect more than one antenna transducer to the radio circuitry of a radio device, such as a mobile station, an improved radio device would be possible.
It is in light of this background information related to antenna transducers that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The foregoing and other features, utilities, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The present invention, accordingly, provides an antenna assembly, and an associated method, by which to transduce communication signals at a radio device, such as a mobile station, operable in a radio communication system.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a manner is provided by which a selected one of at least two antenna transducers is selectably coupled to radio circuitry of the mobile station, or other radio device.
In one aspect of the present invention, a switch element is provided for an antenna assembly which includes at least two antenna transducers. The switch element is compact, reliable, inexpensive, and exhibits low-loss characteristics. The antenna assembly including such a switch element advantageously forms a portion of a cellular mobile station, or other radio communication device, which is packaged in a housing of compact dimensions.
In another aspect of the present invention, an antenna assembly is provided which includes a whip antenna transducer, capable of sliding translation between a retracted position and a extracted position. When positioned in the retracted position, the antenna transducer is substantially entirely positioned within a housing which further houses the radio circuitry of the radio device. When translated into the extracted position, such as through application of a translation force upon the whip antenna transducer by user of the mobile station, the antenna transducer extends beyond the radio housing. Translation of the whip antenna transducer alternately connects or disconnects, the antenna transducer into, and out of, connection with radio circuitry of the mobile station. When positioned in the extracted position, the whip antenna transducer is switchably connected to the radio circuitry, and, when translated out of the extracted position, the antenna transducer is disconnected out of connection with the radio circuitry.
In another aspect of the present invention, an antenna assembly is provided which includes a non-movable antenna transducer, such as a PIFA (planer inverted F antenna) or patch antenna transducer. The non-movable antenna transducer is switchably connectable to radio circuitry of a radio device, such as a mobile station. Once connected to the radio circuitry, the non-movable antenna transducer transduces communication signals between the electromagnetic and electrical form. When the antenna assembly also includes a whip antenna transducer, connection of the non-movable antenna transducer to the radio circuitry is dependent upon the positioning of the whip antenna transducer, e.g., whether the whip antenna transducer is positioned in an extracted position or an other-than-extracted position. When , for instance, the whip antenna transducer is positioned in an extracted position in which the whip antenna transducer extends beyond a housing at which the radio circuitry is housed, the non-movable antenna transducer is disconnected out of connection with the radio circuitry. Conversely, when the whip antenna transducer is positioned in a retracted position, the non-movable antenna transducer is, instead, connected to the radio circuitry.
In another aspect of the present invention, a switch element is provided for the antenna assembly. The switch element alternately connects one of at least two antenna transducers to radio circuitry. The switch position of the switch element is dependent upon a translation position of a translatable whip antenna transducer which forms a portion of the antenna assembly. Translation of the whip antenna transducer causes linear movement of the switch element, alternately to cause the switch element to connect the whip antenna transducer with the radio circuitry and to connect the non-movable antenna transducer with the radio circuitry.
In another aspect of the present invention, the switch element which switchably connects either the whip antenna transducer or the non-movable antenna transducer with the radio circuitry is permitted rotational movement either to connect the whip antenna transducer or the non-movable antenna transducer with the radio circuitry. Translation of the whip antenna transducer induces rotational movement of the switch element, thereby to cause positioning of the switch element alternately to connect the whip antenna transducer and the non-movable antenna transducer to the radio circuitry.
In these and other aspects, therefore, an antenna assembly, and an associated method, is provided for a radio device having radio circuitry. A first antenna transducer is selectably connectable to the radio circuitry. A second antenna transducer is also selectably connectable to the ratio circuitry. The second antenna transducer is translatable between a retracted position and an extracted position. A switch element is switchably connectable between the radio circuitry and the first antenna transducer and between the radio circuitry and the second antenna transducer. The switch element is connected between the radio circuitry and the second antenna transducer when the second antenna transducer is positioned in the extended position and connected between the radio circuitry and the first antenna transducer as the second antenna transducer is translated out of the extracted position and into the retracted position.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.